Click on the links for (hopefully) pix of each bands
It's difficult enough to grab the attention of the crowd during the course of a set, but to be able to do it with 1 number?
And that has to be a cover of a seminal band such as the Clash? What can be a daunting prospect that could be, yet
it can also realise a source of creative potential, much like the one that was about to
be unfurled today.
So with daylight still streaming through the windows of that local sauna known as the
Night & Day café, "Slam" and "I Win I Drive" kick started proceedings with faithful
versions of "Clampdown" and "Clash City Rockers" respectively.
So step forward Sonic Boom Six who were brave enough to de-construct the original
of "Safe European Home" to a bare shell then cram into it as many different musical
styles as possible. It shouldn't have really worked, but this time it did, and gloriously at
that.
A dressed up Performance followed with an equally eclectic combination of
electronica/ska to dispense "Janie Jones" to a crowd that was now getting the hang of
the format, slaking their thirst on beer, watching the raw energy emanating from the
video screen displaying Joe in his element, that is performing on a stage. Grainy
video footage purloined from cameras snuck into venues, relayed images from Clash
& Mascelaros gigs.
The shaking, sweat soaked, out of focus figures wanting to give
something back to their audience evoked misty eyed nostalgia
from those present today. Though Joe's sharp features may have
been softened with the passing of time, the quiff was still there,
and just as recognisable were the sweat, energy and enthusiasm
with which he sought to repay those who had turned up to see his
band, displaying his clear love of music, a passion that could not
diminish with the passing of time.
Now snapped back to the present, Thee Virus House, bedecked in
uniform black, transformed "This is Radio Clash" into a magnificent
slab of dark, intense electro, overlaid with a monotone delivery
that was over far too soon.
Once Darren Snake had entered the building, a blues fuelled,
harmonica laden, rendition of "Rudy Can't Fail" was eventually
satifyingly
Ian Britt managed to literally strip "Stay Free" down to a pure, almost acoustic ballad that was simple in execution,
but intense in delivery, so much so that through the day he had devotees of Jones coming up to congratulate him on
his renditon.
Perhaps the most poignant time of the day was when the singer with Sugar Rocket got up on stage alongside
Saucerman for "Magnificent Seven". His band were due to open the set but due to the death of their guitarist the day
before (aged 22) understandably, they pulled out
Such is the hap hazard, play it by ear, nature of these things that if you decided to nip out, the chances are that you
will miss something e.g. Little Neemo, Lord Mongo El Presidente, Bone Box &
Moco, despite the fact that you have copied the timings from the sound
engineer.
The last "proper band" up were a Cressa led "Bad Man Wagon", and the
reggae laden version of "Revolution Rock" that followed once again filled a
beer sodden, bottle strewn, area that could loosely be termed as a dance floor
So the impromptu finale
was an
"Everyone-One-On-Stage-Live
Aid-sing along" rendition of
"White Riot", forcing
relatively aged limbs to
re-kindle the seemingly
long forgotten ability to (mildly) pogo alongside another generation
of music lovers who longingly wished they could have been there,
for one concert, just one, to experience the intensity of it. Bodies
swayed and smiles continued to break out on a wide spread basis
There were people on the stage, they thought it was all over.
Tonight it may be, but the Clash legacy shall surely remain.